People in Yu-Gi-Oh! The hyper-converged audience is also integrated

Chapter 356 Heavenly Cup VS Imperial Witch
"You can use seven sets, instructor!"

Tang Xin suddenly stood up straight, like a primary school student eagerly answering questions in class, her eyes shining.

"Bian Yuelong-Tang Xin, requesting to fight!"

"A substitute is fine too!"

As a former team member, she was very familiar with this process. In the current league, it's five plus one, six decks and five lives, but here it's six plus one, seven decks and six lives, with an extra precious spot in the competition.

Qi Mengsi glanced at her: "You? [Dessert]?"

"Let's talk about its strategic value."

"Report!" Tang Xin puffed out her chest and spoke rapidly, afraid that she would miss the opportunity if she was slow. "[Dessert] has both front and back attacks, three-dimensional resistance, and the back attack has an invincible senior sister. It can hit two targets without targeting and there is no limit to once per round!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke: "I don't need the hand-prick! [Springtime Essence] will help me finish the resistance!"

"It sounds pretty average." Qi Mengsi's words immediately brought her back to reality.

Tang Xin instantly deflated, her chest, which had just been puffed out, slumped down, and she sobbed pitifully, "Ugh..."

Yes, the dessert was just average. Despite her efforts to exaggerate its quality, it was just so-so.

"【Heavenly Cup Dragon】, requesting to fight!" A member of the Dark Force, codenamed Red Center, stepped forward and shouted.

"I don't need to take up hand trap resources, I just need removal cards like [Lightning Storm] and [Forbidden Drop]."

Once someone takes the lead, others immediately follow suit, afraid of falling behind.

"【Rescue ACE Team】, requesting to join the battle! No need to occupy hand positions."

"[Sky Striker Princess] requests to join the battle! I don't need to occupy a hand slot, I only need [Three-Battle Talent] and [Three-Battle Title]!"

"【Phantom Spirit】Requests battle, doesn't need a hand trap, just a trap..."

Everyone wanted to get a chance to perform, but they all unanimously said they wouldn't take up a spot and would voluntarily give up their resources.

Even if we lose, the responsibility is small. In a team competition, the worst that can happen is a 0-1 defeat. Since we didn't get any team resources, the blame is naturally not that big.

"They're all such cowards."

Qi Mengsi's voice turned cold as her gaze swept over the downcast faces. "Is there no one willing to take on the responsibility of defeating two opponents at once, using the resources they have?"

Upon hearing this, the noisy crowd instantly fell silent.

The shared card system also bans three of the most deadly common traps: [Dimensional Attractor], [Proliferating G], and [Primal Lifeform Nibiru]. The first player can unleash a powerful offensive, which is basically a guaranteed victory.

But the other side also has this advantage.

Whoever attacks first is the dominant force, unless both sides reach match point simultaneously and enter the "standoff mechanism". At this time, the surviving deck can swap its sideboard once, replacing up to 15 of its teammates' cards. If you get 15 hand traps, it's barely playable to attack second.

Before the standoff, there must be a main carry to take all the available hand traps, support the backline, and achieve the feat of winning two or even three games in a row.

But this responsibility is too heavy, and no one dares to take it. If they take the resources but fail to make them work, the blame is too heavy. If they attack first and then get stuck with bad luck, their ace will be 0-1, and they will never be able to sleep for the rest of their lives.

The "Tears of Elegy" deck might work, but it lacks flexibility, relying entirely on luck to fill the graveyard, and no one on the field is comfortable using it.

[Conquer the Soul] was another option, but without [K9] and [Illusion], its strength is greatly reduced.

Qi Mengsi's gaze finally settled on that petite figure.

"Qiqi, are you going to play?"

Upon hearing this question, Tang Xin and the others raised their eyebrows in surprise.

From the very beginning of the training camp, the instructors have been paying extra attention to Qiqi's opinions. Now, they even ask her first when selecting players for the competition. This favoritism is too obvious.

However, since Qiqi just defeated the Fool, she does indeed have the qualifications.

Qi Qi lowered her brows, lost in thought. Qi Mengsi tentatively said, "Why don't you... use [Tears of Pearl]? I'll give you my trump card, you can take any card you want."

Hong Zhong, Xia Sheng, and the others all turned their gazes toward it.

Let her take the ace?
This girl exudes a lazy, "I'm good at slacking off" vibe, and doesn't seem like the type to carry the main character at all.

"No way." Qiqi shook her head. "Your draft has already revealed that we'll be using [Tears of the Goddess]. The other side is definitely prepared."

She paused, then added, "I can use it, but [Tears of the Pearl] can only guarantee one point; it's not suitable to use resources as an ace."

"Ah, you don't want it either." Qi Mengsi sighed helplessly, rubbing her temples with a headache. "I can't really use [Rose Dragon] to get the ace, can I?"

"sure!"

"Instructor, we believe in you!"

"Boss, you can do it!"

"The [Rose Dragon] won't work for most people, but yours will definitely work, boss!"

The people below instantly perked up, nodding in unison like a flock of chicks pecking at rice.

"Are you guys crazy? Does the [Rose Dragon] even have the ability to attack from behind?" Qi Mengsi was amused by this bunch of clowns, feeling that she couldn't carry this team.

"I'll take the ace."

A calm voice suddenly rang out, drowning out all the noise.

It is Chu Chan.

Everyone was taken aback. Someone instinctively asked, "If [Illusory Image] is banned, can [Conquer Souls] still be used?"

"Sure." Chu Chan's tone was calm, yet exuded confidence. "With a 4,000-point system, [Conquering Battle Spirit] has a significant advantage."

He analyzed methodically: "[Robot] can burn 3,000 health in two rounds, and if you have good cards, [Yukikaze] can add 1,800 health. Just burning health can put a lot of pressure on the opponent."

"Going second, I have [Holly Sue] to play, although I just got this card and it's not very intuitive yet, so my draw rate might be a bit low..."

"But overall, [Conqueror's Spirit] definitely deserves a spot in the battle. If no one dares to take the ace, then give it to me."

After he finished speaking, the way the team members who were still hesitating and backing down looked at him changed.

It was a look that mixed surprise and admiration.

Even the usually aloof Xia Sheng nodded slightly in approval.

At this critical juncture when no one dared to take on the heavy responsibility, Chu Chan stepped forward.

Qi Mengsi looked at him and breathed a slight sigh of relief. Finally, someone was willing to take the blame for her.

"Then are you going to go?" she asked Xia Sheng again.

Xia Sheng remained silent for a while before saying, "Okay."

He used his self-composed sacred music to not worry about the outcome of the duel, but only about whether he would kill his opponent.

However, in this kind of situation, the people on the other side are probably not ordinary.

I think I can't kill him.

“Alright, let’s finalize four first,” Qi Mengsi said. “One set of [Self-Playing Sacred Music], one set of [Rose Dragon], one set of [Conquering Fighting Spirit], and one set of [Tears of Elegy Clan]. We still need three more.”

She turned to look at the members of the Dark Guard.

Tang Xin and the others had bright eyes and looked on with expectant expressions that said, "Pick me! Pick me!"

Losing is no big deal, but winning is something you can brag about for a lifetime!

In a draft where three hand traps are banned, the player who attacks first has a higher chance of winning.

On the red side, the Lover submitted their deck to counter the [Tears of Elegy Tribe]. On the screen, the phantom images of the cards appeared one by one, and ImiX, Chu Linfeng, and the Pope all cast strange glances.

Li Guanqi's eyelids twitched at the sight.

"Good for you."

Seeing this deck and combining it with the strange feeling he'd just sensed, he was pretty certain that this woman codenamed "Lover" was his perverted sister's imaginary creation.

This deck is less about countering [Tears of the Goddess] and more about aiming to take the opponent down with it.

If you go first, you can reliably crush 99.9% of decks.

As for the back attack?

The win rate approaches zero.

This is an extremely pure suicide truck, floored on the gas, all or nothing, aiming for a one-for-one exchange.

“It can indeed kill [Tears of the Pearl].” Immy X whistled, a smile playing on her lips. She looked at the Pope with interest. “I didn’t expect Your Holiness to have such a willing subordinate.”

"If she can destroy the opponent's ace, [Tears of the Goddess], we'll have it in the bag."

Normal people are all trying to show off by defeating two or three opponents at once, but I never expected that there would be someone who just wants to trade one for one.

The Pope remained silent, only glancing at his lover with his cloudy old eyes.

She's acting really strange today; this isn't her usual deck at all.

He secretly sensed the wedge that had already been planted, and the feedback from his consciousness showed no thoughts of betrayal, nor any malice towards his other confidants.

It's just... the thoughts in my head are a bit risqué.

Do you like Li Guanqi that much?
The Pope's brow furrowed even deeper. He would have considered granting their request if it were anyone else, but in the subsequent plan, Li Guanqi had to die as a sacrifice.

Subsequently, ImiX, Chu Linfeng, and the members of the Papal Council submitted their card decks one after another. On the system screen, non-compliant cards and general-purpose cards exceeding the limit lit up with a blinding red light, and the infighting began again.

“I’ll take all three [Infinite Bubble] cards,” Immy X said matter-of-factly.

"No way!" Chu Linfeng immediately objected. "My deck needs to break through from the back row. At least give me one card!"

"Give me one too, [the one with the effect masking]."

"Shut up, all of you!" the sun roared, interrupting the argument. "All resources should be prioritized for His Holiness the Pope!"

"And you, witch! Return the Pope's domain card!"

"What domain card? What are you talking about?" Immy X feigned madness. "This thing isn't something you guys did when you abandoned me—"

"Is it already mine?"

"you--!"

"Stop arguing, we're all in the same boat, let's focus on winning this match." Chu Linfeng stepped in as a peacemaker.

A dozen minutes later, amidst constant arguments and compromises, the red team finally managed to complete their deck, albeit with some difficulty.

On the other side, the blue area.

【Ding--】

Tang Xin submitted her deck, but the system issued a sharp alarm and her deck icon flashed red.

"Seriously?" she asked, bewildered. "I didn't request any general-purpose functions, why is this giving me an error?"

She clicked on the error message and froze instantly.

"You can't bring the Sleeping Baku?!"

"Even [Knowing the secret] won't work?!"

“Both are NO,” Xia Sheng whispered a reminder from the side.

Tang Xin was suddenly stunned, then opened her mouth wide in realization: "It's over—!"

"Oh, then I'll pass."

It was already a stretch to have dessert 'served', and now we can't even bring enough extras, it's not even worthy of being a substitute.

"Hiss—" The surrounding members of the Dark Guard gasped and quickly checked their Extra Deck.

"It's over! I can't even bring my [Shadow of Bewilderment]!"

“My [Prime Minister] is also [NO]…”

"The Future Dragon Emperor is gone too!"

When they first discussed grabbing [NO], they all thought it was only aimed at Xia Sheng's [mechanical puppet], without giving it much thought.

It wasn't until now, as familiar and powerful extra monsters were removed from their decks, that they truly realized how heavy the price of this ban was.

The red team is also in a bad situation. Without the "Joyful Gathering" field, their number of hand traps is greatly reduced, significantly weakening their defensive capabilities when attacking from behind.

The players whose decks were faulty were forced to make emergency modifications in the last few minutes until all the decks on the screens stopped emitting red warning lights.

【Ding--】

The cold, electronic voice sounded again.

[Deck building phase is over. Both players, please decide on your starting duelist.]

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Who will start?

Who will start?

At the same time, Qi Mengsi and the Pope looked at their respective teams through the energy barrier.

In this game where many hand traps have been reduced, going first is almost equivalent to winning.

The first win is crucial. Whoever takes the first point will hold a firm grip on the advantage in the entire series.

Who will fight this first battle?
The first battle involves randomly assigning priority to attack, and those who go on the field must be prepared to attack second.

"No, should we go straight for the ace? The ace has enough hand traps to allow us to play the second attack!" suggested the red team's Sun.

"Then in the second round, if the opposing team's ace takes our ace, who will take their ace?" Chu Linfeng retorted.

"A suicide bomber for his lover."

"Who should fight with the [Tears of the Pearl]?"

"this--"

"Starting with an ace player is too risky."

"Normally, if the opposing team gets the priority, they should choose to attack first, right?"

"of course."

"That--"

"[Heavenly Cup Dragon], step forward!"

"[Priest], step forward!"

"You start." (X2)

"Yes!" (X2)

Regardless of who gets priority, they should normally be able to get the second turn.

"Boss, don't worry!"

"Your Holiness, please rest assured."

"We must take it!" (X2)

Rumbling--

A dull, deafening roar came from beneath our feet, causing the entire steel city to tremble violently. Deep trenches cracked open in the alloy floor, and the towering buildings on either side receded, revealing a much wider space below.

An enormous circular arena, surrounded by concentric tiered stands, slowly rises from the very center of the city.

[Starting players from both sides, please take your designated positions.]

As the cold electronic voice faded, two halos, one red and one blue, lit up on the ground of the two opposing sides.

Members of the Dark Force, codenamed Red Center, stepped into the blue aura.

On the other side, a woman dressed in an astrologer's robe emerged from the papal retinue. She wore a silver mask that covered the upper half of her face and was codenamed "The Moon." She bowed slightly to the Pope and also stepped into the red halo.

With a flash of light, the two figures vanished from their spot.

In the blink of an eye, they appeared at opposite ends of a huge arena a kilometer away, facing each other.

"This level of technology..." Li Guanqi was amazed and couldn't help but think of the 5DS animation.

In that worldview, the entire city is geared towards duels; once a ride-based duel begins, all other vehicles must give way.

Gulatia gave him the same feeling; once this team competition started, the entire structure of the city changed.

"Hehehe, it's starting, it's starting!" Immy X clapped her hands excitedly, like a child eagerly anticipating the start of a circus performance. "Miss Moon, don't disappoint me!"

The Pope remained silent, gazing quietly at the dueling arena.

The cold, electronic voice rang out again above the arena.

[Now allocate priority for attacking]

A giant virtual coin appeared directly above the arena, with flames on one side symbolizing the red team and water droplets on the other side symbolizing the blue team.

The coin shot into the air and spun rapidly, but the people below the stage didn't seem particularly nervous.

Hongzhong and Yueliang exchanged a glance and both gave a disdainful smile.

No matter who gets this priority, I can still get the second attack.

Ding--

With a crisp sound, the coin fell and came to a steady stop in mid-air.

Flame pattern, facing upwards.

[The red team chooses to attack first or second.]

On the arena, the witch codenamed Moon curled a cold smile at the corner of her mouth beneath her silver mask.

She raised her hand, pointed at the red center opposite her, and said clearly, word by word, "I choose to attack from behind."

"What?!" Hong Zhong blurted out.

The starting lineup was given up?! The tactics were exposed?!

From below the stage, Qi Mengsi frowned sharply: "They think so too."

"Damn it, the opponent also started with an OTK deck!" Tang Xin realized, and scratched her head with both hands.

"Oh dear." Seeing Hongzhong's reaction, the moon smiled meaningfully, "It seems you don't want to make the first move."

That's truly a shame.

"Go first, go first!" Red Center shouted, drawing five cards.

The moon smiled slightly and then drew out five cards.

Red Center swept his initial hand, his pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly picked out a card and placed it on the Duel Disk.

"call--"

"【Heavenly Cup Dragon White Dragon】!"

A dragon's roar resounded through the sky, a gale suddenly arose, and lightning crackled in the air as a giant dragon covered in pure white scales burst out of the magic array.

"So it's [Heavenly Cup Dragon]." A smile curved the corners of his mouth beneath the moon mask, a hint of amusement in his voice. "My apologies, my apologies."

On the stage, Red Center ignored the Moon's taunts and resolutely waved his hand: "Activate the effect of [Heavenly Cup Dragon White Dragon], add one [Radiant Illusion] Spell/Trap Card from the Deck to your hand or set it face down."

Without hesitation, he drew a card from his deck and set it face-down in the back row.

"I will cover [Radiant Opening]!"

"Next, activate the effect of [Heavenly Cup Dragon of Dragons] in my hand! Special Summon this card!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a crimson light flashed, and a slightly smaller red dragon, its body engulfed in raging flames, appeared beside the white dragon, letting out a low roar.

One white, one red; one thunder, one fire; two giant dragons stood side by side.

Li Guanqi was thoroughly engrossed in observing the red area.

Good grief, two OTK decks at the start, both sides were thinking of securing the second turn, but unexpectedly they got the first turn.

From this perspective, Zhong's side has gained an initial advantage.

"What do you think?" His lover's warm breath brushed against his ear, and his restless hands began to wander over his waist again.

Li Guanqi stiffened and coughed lightly: "Can't you be more mindful of the occasion?"

"I can't control myself." The lover blushed. "How can I resist a brother who lets me do whatever I want with him?"

"Be serious," Li Guanqi said solemnly. "Can you take me out?"

"Brother wants me to betray the Pope?" the lover asked, troubled. "That won't do."

“If we lose, although we will lose the right to explore the secret realm, we will also escape the encirclement of the Spirit Control Division’s army. Brother, you will surely die.”

“If we win, the Soul Control Division will leave first and will definitely prepare a large army to stand by. Brother, you still have hope of being rescued.”

"Do you understand, my dear brother?"

"You talk too much," Li Guanqi replied calmly. "I just want to help you win, but they don't believe me."

The Latia League decks are not tied to specific players; only the decks are checked. Anyone can use the deck, but those who lose will be marked and cannot use it again.

Although Li Guanqi did not submit his deck, he could theoretically be used in the game, as long as the Pope and his allies dared to release him.

"Shared interests make us partners~" The lover chuckled, her fingers moving even more boldly.

Li Guanqi: "..."

On the ring, Hong Zhong had already begun his next move.

"It's coming!" Chu Chan said in a deep voice.

The red-clad general raised his hand high, and his voice resounded throughout the entire arena.

"I will set connection markers for [Heavenly Cup Dragon White Dragon] and [Heavenly Cup Dragon Middle Dragon]!"

"Loop Union!"

At a command, the white dragon and the red dragon roared to the sky one last time, their massive bodies instantly disintegrating into two blazing torrents of data, one white and one red, spiraling towards the heavens!

Above the arena, a deep hexagonal portal to spacetime was forcibly torn open!

"The gathered stars will become a protective bulwark! The covenant etched in the heavens is revealed here!"

Hongzhong shouted with all his might.

"Connect Summon!"

"Descend, Link2! [Celestial Holy Seal]!"

"Boom—!" A colossal object slowly descended from the portal of time and space.

It was not a living organism, but several enormous spheres pieced together from countless meteorites from outer space. The spheres were pulled together by an invisible gravitational force, flowing with a ghostly blue energy.

“I know that, [Celestial Sphere] is doomed.” The moon covered its mouth and chuckled.

A flash of anger crossed Red Center's eyes, but he suppressed it and said, "Set one card, end of turn."

On the arena, the moon gazed at the enormous, suspended celestial sphere, and the playful smile beneath the silver mask deepened.

"A decent struggle."

She spoke softly, extending her slender fingers and placing them on the deck.

"My turn then."

"Pick the card."

As the main phase arrived, Moon didn't even bother to look at the sixth card she had drawn, and simply slammed a card from her hand onto the Duel Disk.

"Activate the Spell Card - [Lightning Storm]!"

Boom!

The sky above the arena changed color, dark clouds gathered, and blinding golden lightning bolts rolled like raging pythons in the clouds, instantly enveloping the back of the Red Center.

Destroy all Spell & Trap Cards on the opponent's field!

"As expected!" Hong Zhong's pupils contracted, and the ominous premonition in his heart came true.

If you're given the first turn, and your opponent is almost certainly using a similar deck that goes second, then a simple and straightforward removal card like [Lightning Storm] is the obvious choice.

"Open the cover card—[Brilliant Opening]!"

At the critical moment, Hongzhong waved his hand, and the face-down card behind him flipped open. A phantom door engraved with ancient dragon patterns rose from the ground, activating its effect before the lightning struck.

"Add one Level 4 or lower Dragon-Type FIRE monster from your Deck to your hand!"

He popped a card from his deck and showed it to the moon: "I'm adding [Heavenly Cup Dragon of Phantom Lucky] to my hand."

The lightning storm swept through, revealing the red card with its face down, which turned out to be a Forbidden Drop.

"Oh dear, [the forbidden drop], how terrifying, how terrifying." The moon covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone sarcastic.

Hongzhong, seething with anger, ignored her taunts and instead played the card she had just retrieved.

"Activate the effect of the card 'Heavenly Cup Dragon' in your hand, and Special Summon this card!"

"Show up!"

Roar--!
With a majestic dragon roar, a magnificent golden dragon descended beside the [Celestial Holy Seal].

However, the [Heavenly Cup Dragon of Illusion] did not resist; now we can only hope that the [Holy Seal of the Celestial Sphere] can stop it.
"Hoping that the Celestial Sphere can stop it?" The Moon blurted out Red's inner thoughts first.

Hongzhong gritted his teeth. This woman is so annoying and hateful!

"Despair!" the moon laughed, slapping down a card. "Activate equipment magic—"

"【The Water Dance of the Witch】!"

"Equip the [Celestial Saint Imprint]!"

“【The Witch Doctor】.” Hong Zhong’s eyes widened, his heart sinking completely. “Oh no.”

(End of this chapter)